Combined mail-opening and door-knocker



T..H. PEGNAM. I COMBINED MAIL OPENI-NG AND DOOR KNOCKER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 191 9.

Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

T v z a 5- J2: O7

7 may UNITED STATES THOMAS H; PEGNAM, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHU'SIECII'IS.

COMBINED. MAIL-OPENING AND, nooR-KnocnER.

Specification of Letterslatent. Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

Application ma February 6,1919. Serial No. 275,289.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, T ioMAs If. PEGNAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brockton, Massacl'iusetts, whose post-oflice address is No. 52 Fern street, Brockton, Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Combined Mail-Openings and Door-Knockers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention is an improved and novel type of letter opening or letter slot r and consists also in the novel combination of a door knocker adapted. to close the letter slot or opening.

The objects of my invention are to provide a letter openingin a door, either an outside door to a building, house, or the like or an inner door in an apartment house, for example, which will be capable of being made much cheaper than the present customary rectangular letter slot, and also which may be finished smoothly and quickly and of a capacity to receive large and bulky articles. This feature is of particular importance and therefore I have devised my novel type of letter opening circular in form, thus having the greatest possible area within a given perimeter to receive articles such as large papers, magazines, etc., in addition to ordinary letters and the like sent through the U. S. mail. Such a circular opening can be quickly and almost instantly formed by an auger or hit of suitable diameter and furthermore when completed is round, smooth and without danger of damaging the letters or other articles pushed therethrough. On the contrary the ordinary rectangular letter slot requires first to be bored with sev eral small openings and then necessitates cutting out with a saw, truing up, etc., so that the time and expense involved is considerable and in addition the finished opening is generally rough at the edges and itis somewhat difficult to apply the usual bronze or metal flange or guard to accurately fit and register with the opening. By forming a circular recess through of suitable diameter to correspond with my novel type of covering and door knocker, an accurate fit can be made, the bit or auger being of proper diameter. In addition to the advantages of a circular letter opening, as above briefly outlined is the furtherimportant feature of my present invention which consists 1n combining with the metal plate to be ap plied to and constituting a guard or finish for the letter opening, the combined cover and door knocker. Thus I am enabled to produce an artistic and attractive article of builders hardware, which may be of any suitable style, material, design, etc. and which combines the advantages of the circular opening with the door plate, cover, and door knocker.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary yiew of a door or the like to which my combined letter plate and door knocker is applied;

Fig, 2. is a cross-sectional view on the lines 2.-2of 1; and i Fig, 3 isa view showing A y the cover and door knocker ralsed.

While it will be appreciated that my invention is capable of a large range of architectural designs, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings in an extremely simple form.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the panel of a door or other article which it is desired to fit with a letter opening or door knocker or both. In the preferred form of my invention, I form a circular recess 2 through the article 1, said recess being of suitable diameter, for example, three inches, which is suflicient to receive the largest article usually sent through the U S. mails. This circular opening having special advantages is one of the important features of my invention and I wish to claim the same as a novel type of letter slot or opening. While it is possible and feasible to thus form such a letter slot without the cover and door knocker or to form said circular opening and utilize a plain protecting flange and hinged cover, I preferto employ my novel type of combined cover and door knocker. To this end, I provide a plate 3 having a hub or flange 4: ofv suitable diameter to fit within the bored recess 2 and preferably of a depth equal to the thickness of the article 1. The plate 3 is secured to the door or article 1 by a plurality of screws as indicated at 4:, 5, and 6. At the top or upper portion of the plate 1 is formed a boss 7 cored to receive the hinge 8 of the combined cover and door knocker 10.

guard against rain; and a rest and member.

for the cover and knocker to strikie. This cover and'knocker 10 may be' formed with a handle and I have shown same with ,a simple formof 'grip 15, it being of course feasible to utilize any other design, if desired;

' lnorder to form a guard and a complete finish/on the inner surface of the door, metal, or article, 1, I prefer to fit a washer or ring 16-s'ee Fig. 2securing this ring to the article 1 or directly to tapped recesses in the hub' l, by screws 17, as shown.

The application of the letter opening and cover will'be readily understood, requiring simply a boring through the article 1, or its equivalent by a bit or auger of proper diameter to correspond with the size, diameter, and style of the hardware to be applied. This is quickly and easily done and the entire plate, cover, and door knocker can be fitted'by unskilled help. Upon raising the door knocker, the circular recess permits articles to be delivered through the door which could not possibly be put through a rectangular letter slot of equal perimeter or usual slze. The advantage of this feature will be appreciated when it is realized that at the present time so many magazines, relatively large and bulky articles are distributed through the U. S. mail and when the same cannot be delivered through the usual type of letter slot, the carrier must stand and wait until the door is opened. My intention eliminates this difliculty and provides a rain-proof, attractive, novel type of hardware which, as explained, is easily applied, attractive in appearance and of greater utility than any similar device of which I am aware.

My present invention is further described in the form of 'a claim as follows:

A combined letter opening and door knocker comprising a plate having a (in-ular opening therethrough and adapted to register with a circular hole in a door or the like, an outwardly projecting rim on the plate defining an extension of the ein-ular opening, a combined core and knoeker pivotally mounted on the plate above the circular opening and cooperating with the projecting rim to act as a cover for the circular opening and as a. door knocker.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of the subscribing witness.

THOMAS H. PEGNAM.

Witness:

JAMES R. Honnnn. 

